Unofficial and unauthoritative opinion on LDS, Latter-Day Saint, or Mormon Doctrine concerning the Nature of God, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Plan of Salvation, the Apostasy and Restoration, and Priesthood Authority.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Someone posted online the idea that Joseph Smith ran for US President with the intention to replace the US Constitutional Government with a higher order of Celestial Government and that Joseph Smith revealed his secret anti-American intentions to a secret "council of 50".

This post feeds into a false idea that Joseph Smith, Mitt Romney, and all LDS members are fundamentally "anti-American" and "anti-US Constitution". Nothing could be further from the truth. I think it is a very false idea to suggest that Joseph Smith secretly intended to commit treason against the United States.

Does this suggestion of treason claim Joseph Smith just was going along with the US Government, like it was a "stepping stone" to something better and he intended to run for US president and take over and supplant constitutional government with his United Order? is this suggesting that Joseph Smith called a secret council of 50 and revealed to them his treasonous intentions? Seems like roumors and slander to me.

1. These kind of baseless "anti-American" roumors and slanders against Joseph Smith is exactly what led to all the LDS persecution, the Mormon war, the extermination order, etc etc.

2. These kind of "anti-American" roumors were used to raise suspicion against Mitt Romney. If Mitt understood his religion he would gladly talk about how America-loving and US Constitution-loving the LDS religion really is. In fact he should divert every religion question to this point.

3. Satan used these "anti-American" roumors and suspicions against Joseph Smith together with the nationalism and patriotism of the Missouri and Illinois residents to justify all the abuses, persecutions, and eventual expulsion of LDS

4. If we continue to spread these false roumors and suspicions, how are we any better than the persecutors back then?

5. Joseph Smith taught again and again the US Constitution was given by God and is akin to scripture. What other church teaches that?

6. Joseph Smith taught that America and NOT Israel is the promised land and place of freedom, liberty, and gathering for the tribe of Joseph and the 10 tribes of Israel.

7. Joseph taught that the Millennial Kingdom of God will NOT be a Theocracy (Theocracy is a Catholic doctrine) but will still be governed with a separation of Church and State. The Book of Mormon and the Bible in Judges teach that this separation is the ideal. Even in the Book of Abraham this is suggested in the facimilies when discussing "Oliblish" that stands next to "Kolob" in authority.

8. Joseph's Millennial Kingdom was to be governed by 2 capitals:Jerusalem in Israel and Zion in America. One would be the religious capital and the other the capital of the government.

9. Joseph's idea of constitutional government is anti-socialist. According to James 1:27: it is the business of religion and not the state to offer welfare services and encourage virtue. That is because the state will treat symptomatic welfare issues but not get at the virtue issues which are at the root cause of poverty.

10. The State has jurisdiction when one citizen harms another citizen (distributing recreational drugs). Religion has jurisdiction to discipline and rehabilitate when an individual is violating laws of virtue and only harming themselves (abusing themselves with recreational drugs).

11. Joseph's United Order and Safety Society were not a civil government system but a US Constitution-friendly economic system. Capitalism is not a part of the LDS faith nor is it a part of US Constitutional government.

12. The US Constitution specifies that Congress should have power over the US credit and currency and NOT the calitalist nor the bankers. We did not vote for the capitalist or the bankers with our dollars such that these "special interests" can use their unelected economic Machiavellian power to oppress us through debt, controlled media propaganda, and monetary influence over our civil elections.

13. I fully expect the US Constitution to be " the governing civil law" in the Millennium (Isa 33:22). Again, separation of Church and State is a major theme of the Book of Mormon. The State needs to get out the welfare business of religion not by cutting the poor off but by religions doing its job so that state welfare is no longer needed.

For the Lord is our judge (Judiciary), the Lord is our lawgiver (Legislative), the Lord is our king (Executive); he will save us. (Old Testament, Isaiah, Isaiah 33:22)

Friday, July 11, 2014

Covenants and ordinances: I think its important to talk about the big picture---- ie. why we do them.

1. Purpose of life is a test to see if we love God and will do His will over our own will: "Not as I will but as Thou wilt".2. Life is body driver's education where we learn to control our bodies. Our spirits need to drive our bodies and not our bodies drive our spirits.3. God gave us weaknesses so that we will be humble and look to God for help.4. The body is weak and has a tendency to sin. The natural man is an enemy to God. Just because we may have a tendency or predisposition to sin is not an excuse to do it.5. Covenants help make our weaknesses strong6. My body wants to do this, but I promised God I would do something else.7. Eating vegetables is essential for good health but children don't necessarily come into this world liking them. But children can be trained and acquire a taste for them.8. Likewise, people dont come into the world wanting to keep Gods commandments (dont drink alcohol, no steady boy friend before college). But, like vegetables, temple ritual and covenants are designed to help us acquire a taste for keeping the commandments.9. We participate in entering into covenants using our whole body. (ritual) Ordinances change who we are until the point that we no longer desire sin and have no more disposition to do evil.10. The gospel is not "Chuck-o-Rama" were we pick and choose only those commandments which please us. Instead, the gospel is a well balanced meal where we are expected to even take the spiritual spinach and leave a clean plate. -Elder Maxwell11. When God freed Israel from slavery the first thing He did was give them commandments to preserve their freedom. Commandment free us not restrict us.12. Satan enslaves us through sexual sin and chemical addiction.13. Sexual sin and chemical addiction creates poverty in the world via broken families, illigitimacy and idleness. Evil men can take advantage of the poor in a democracy by instituting socialism that gives the poor money (symptomatic treatment) but doesn't address the problems of virtue that are the root cause of poverty. (how Greece and Rome fell-- Pres. Monson Ensign July 2013)14. Pure religion in James 1:27 is welfare and virtue. The bishop will give you needed food and money but will also adress the virtue issues. Government does not which "enables" the poor and makes them dependent on government for a continual bailout instead of reform and rehabilitation and return to productivity and self-reliance. Religion in America needs to start doing its job so people don't need to turn to government handouts.15. Only a "return to virtue" can save our nation and Constitutional government.16. If you want to "defend the constitution", serve a full-time mission and spread the gospel and the principles of virtue and freedom. 17. There is no such thing as missionaries being "called home to defend the Constitution". Missionaries are already defending the Constitution by spreading a message of virtue and family values.18. The Book of Mormon teaches that "the Spirit of God is the spirit of freedom".19. The Temple and its covenants and ordinances are the way God effectively passes on faith, virtue, spiritual and moral values on to the next generation. That is why we should have a picture of the temple in our children's room and the temple is to be a symbol of our faith.20. Keeping God's commandments (chastity and sobriety) is the only source of true peace, prosperity and safety. If you believe that prosperity or peace comes in any other way, then you serve a false god. Isaiah warned "Woe unto the drunkards of Ephraim" (Isa. 28).